“Your father will keep his nose the fuck out of my marriage. It won’t be his business or your brothers’, and they know it. No one will come and save you from me once we’re married, Suna. Don’t look for a white knight. You’ll be disappointed.”
“Everyone knows Luciano souls are painted black, so I can’t be surprised,” Suna bit out, her dark eyes flashing.
“And what about your soul, Suna Song? Rumor has it you’re a murderer,” I reminded her, more interested than accusatory. I wanted to know what this woman was capable of. Would she try to end me when my guard was down and I was balls deep in her perfection? It might be worth the risk.
“I might say the same about you,” she challenged.
I felt my grin before I realized I was laughing.“Touché, my sweet fiancée. You’ve got me there. I have killed and will kill again. It’s my job, my calling… my fucking talent.” I leaned in to press the words into her black hair.
“So, you are a monster, like they say,” Suna muttered, sounding bitter.
“And you’re a black widow… but don’t count on that working on me,tesora. I’m not some old made man from the Song family you can bump off and your father can disappear. We will be married next week, and you won’t be rid of me easily. Manage your expectations,” I said sternly.
The reality that this beautiful, alluring woman might try to kill me when my back was turned, or worse, run away to God knew where was dawning on me. I would marry Suna. My family obligations demanded it, and we needed the business connections it would ensure, but I didn’t want to look over my shoulder all my days. I didn’t want to sleep with one eye open, not around her or anyone.
She wasn’t like I’d thought she’d be, and the realization was sobering. She was a woman to lose yourself in, and that was dangerous. Suna was violent and unpredictable, another danger. If I were smarter, I’d try to get out of the contract and find another way to make an alliance with the Songs or have her marry Antonio. The arrogant prick deserved to be taken down a peg or two. He’d always resented not being the eldest. Even as I thought it, the image of my brother’s hands on Suna’s tight little body filled me with a dark, roiling rage that tinged the edges of my vision red.
No. Over my dead body. The only Luciano Suna would belong to was me, even if I had to clip her wings. She was feisty, and I liked that, but her strong spirit would have to be broken if she threatened to run. She would be a hell of a woman to have in your corner, that much was certain, even though right now she looked like she’d welcome the chance to attend my funeral rather than an engagement dinner.
“I have no expectations of you. I’ve heard all of it and expect the worst,” she muttered.
I had her backed against the wall, her hand still trapped against me. I had the maddening urge to force it over to touch me. I wanted this woman to want me. I wanted her to burn for me. The realization was startling. I’d never felt that way before about any woman.
“If that’s true and I’m a bad, bad man… don’t tempt me to do bad things to you,” I said, my eyes falling to her lips. The bad things I wanted to do to her involved dark places and soft beds, making her scream my name and tug my hair and beg me endlessly for release. I would dissolve her temper with pleasure and become a master over her body.
“Please. Bad things don’t scare me, Vincenzo. You don’t know me, and I don’t know you, but I don’t scare easily. There’s only one thing that scares me,” she said in a breathy whisper, leaning her head up to murmur in my ear.
“Which is?” I asked, suddenly keen to know. Any insight into this intriguing woman would be valuable. If she was going to be an opponent, I wanted to learn everything I could about her to win more easily. Winning over Suna meant breaking her rebellious spirit and having her tame, and willing, a docile little wild cat that would purr in my arms, only for me. She could scratch, taunt, and attack anyone else.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Suna murmured in my ear before a sharp pain cut through the flesh of the lobe.
She’d bitten me.
She pulled back and glared at me, my blood beading her lower lip. I studied her, unconcerned by the pain but perplexed by the hellion I would soon give my name. Was this woman tameable?
I reached my thumb to her mouth and wiped the blood off. Bringing my thumb to my mouth, I sucked it clean. She watched me with unreadable eyes.
“As fun as playing with you is, tesora, we’d better get inside. It’s our party, after all,” I reminded her. “Don’t be late, and don’t forget to smile. Otherwise, I’ll put you over my shoulder and carry you in there.”
Tameable or not, I was sure as hell going to try. My dark mood lifted. Finally, something to look forward to in this relentlessly dark and dull life.